UCLA Opens 2025 Season Against Utah Saturday at Rose Bowl Under Second-Year Head Coach Foster

UCLA begins its 2025 football campaign Saturday night at the Rose Bowl against Utah, marking the Bruins’ second season under head coach DeShaun Foster and their first non-conference meeting with the Utes since 2007.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. Pacific Time, with national television coverage on FOX. The broadcast team will feature Connor Onion (play-by-play) and Mark Helfrich (analyst). Radio coverage will air on KABC-AM 790, the new flagship station for UCLA Athletics, with Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Matt Stevens (analyst), and Wayne Cook (sideline).

The Bruins return to the field with a dramatically overhauled roster, welcoming 57 new players — 36 transfers and 21 true freshmen — the most turnover since at least 2012.

Among the newcomers is redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava, a Long Beach native who transferred from Tennessee after leading the Volunteers to an 11-3 record and a College Football Playoff berth. Iamaleava is listed on five major preseason watch lists: the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

Iamaleava completed 213 of 334 passes (63.8 percent) for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions last season. He posted a career-high 314 passing yards against UT-Chattanooga and earned Citrus Bowl MVP honors after leading Tennessee to a 31-0 win over Iowa. He was a finalist for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award and earned four SEC Freshman of the Week honors. His 10 regular-season wins marked a program first for a Tennessee freshman quarterback.

Returning starters for UCLA include offensive linemen Garrett DiGiorgio and Sam Yoon, wide receivers Titus Mokiao-Atimalala and Kwazi Gilmer, and defensive linemen Devin Aupiu, Siale Taupaki, and Keanu Williams. Linebacker JonJon Vaughns also returns with 12 career starts.

Saturday’s game marks the 22nd all-time meeting between UCLA and Utah. The Bruins won their last home contest against the Utes in 2022, a 42-32 victory led by quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Utah claimed the most recent matchup in Salt Lake City last season.

Foster’s debut season in 2024 ended with a 5-7 overall record and a 3-6 mark in Big Ten play. Highlights included a season-opening win over Hawai’i and a three-game midseason win streak. UCLA closed the year with victories in four of its final six games.

The offseason brought significant changes to the coaching staff, with eight new assistant coaches joining Foster’s team. Offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri arrives from Indiana, where he helped guide the Hoosiers to a College Football Playoff appearance and a top-ranked scoring offense. Defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe returns after leading UCLA to the sixth-ranked rushing defense nationally (96.2 yards per game) in 2024.

Four members of UCLA’s front seven were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft: Carson Schwesinger (33rd overall, Cleveland), Darius Muasau, Jay Toia, and Oluwafemi Oladejo. Schwesinger led the FBS in solo tackles (90) and the Big Ten in total tackles (136), earning Butkus Award finalist honors.

Tickets for UCLA’s inaugural Big Ten home slate are available through UCLA Athletics, with season packages and single-game options on sale. Fans can contact UCLA Athletics Sales and Service at (310) 206-5991 or email tickets@athletics.ucla.edu.

For more call (310) 206-5991 or visit https://uclabruins.com.